Made in America – Fad? or the Future?

ABC News has certainly dramatized well how U.S. consumers rely on goods made around the world. They literally stripped a house in Dallas when they removed everything made overseas. They also created a stir at the Smithsonian when they revealed how many items in the gift shop were made in China — including the American Flag pins.
The question procurement pros need to ask is, “How deep and how long might a backlash run against low-cost country sourcing?” Past “buy American” initiatives have been stifled by U.S. consumers’ laser-like focus on price — which has driven manufacturers offshore. Has the landscape shifted? Certainly the calculations for deciding where to source have become much more complex. Risk mitigation has become a greater factor. Corporate social responsibility has come into play. Companies are being called out for labor, safety and environmental practices around the world and throughout their supply chains. Will the new awareness of consumers give Made in America sustainability? (I chose that word carefully.) It’s worth watching. If pressed, how much could you source in the U.S.? Better to know now than wait until Walmart tells you to!